This stunning water set captures the opulence of the Victorian era
Q. I hope you can tell us something about this little tilt-top table. Its top measures 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter, and is inlaid with an eight-point star as the main feature. A few small strips of inlay are missing but they don’t detract from the look. The pedestal rests on a tripod base. It has its original finish. We are curious if this had a specific purpose or is simply a miniature or possibly a salesman’s sample. Also, the value would be interesting in today’s antique world.
— Susan, Guelph
A. Your miniature English mahogany table dates from about 1860, and could have been made for any of several purposes. First, it could be a high-end toy for a lucky child. Or, it may be a patent model which would originally have been accompanied by documents describing the item. A true miniature — often made to show off the skills of a cabinetmaker — would be much smaller. Instead, I believe your hunch about a salesman’s sample is likely correct. The table is large enough to exhibit all the details of a full-sized version, but small enough for easy transport. A rare item, it’s worth $750.
Q. More than 50 years ago I bought this little object in the shape of an egg at an antique shop in Montreal. I am not quite sure if it is made of silver or pewter as there are no visible markings. It is about 5 cm high and 3.8 cm wide (5 x 1.5 inches), 5 cm (2 inches) high by 38 mm (1.5 inches) wide closed, and unhinges to open. — Jacques, Ottawa
A. You have a pewter thimble holder, dating to somewhere between 1850 and 1870. The engraving is typical for early pewter, although the technique was sometimes used on silver as well. The holder may originally have had a lining to keep the thimble from rattling around inside. These are rarely found in pewter, and sewing collectors will happily snap it up for about $125.
Q. This is a pitcher and glass set that belonged to my beloved mother-in-law. My first memory of it is when I visited her for the first time many years ago. She was sitting at the dining room table with this set in the cabinet behind her. I loved how the raised white florals and gold coloured vines stood out against the translucent pale magenta/pink glass. When she passed away it was the one thing I wanted to remember her by, every time I see it I think of her. She said it was given to her as a young girl by a family friend so it would be at least 80 years old. There are no marks and the glass heights are all a bit different in height measuring, on average 9.5 cm (3.75 inches) — no two are alike. I would be thrilled to discover anything about it. — Patricia, Ottawa
A. This stunning water set captures the opulence of the Victorian era, and dates to circa 1885-1890. It has been attributed to the English glassworks of Thomas Webb, although it may also have been made in the Czech province once known as Bohemia, which was also a centre of excellence for glassmaking at the time. The hand-painted Prunus decoration reflects the Victorian craze for Japanese design, and the vertical ribbed pattern was created by a blown-moulding glass process. The pink opalescent colour is made by carefully reheating the heat-sensitive cranberry glass to bring out the white. It’s nice to see a complete set. Although Victorian glass is not as valuable as it was prior to 2008, your set is still worth $350.